ArticleBDJ open2025
Feasibility of a rapid C-reactive protein chairside point-of-care test for detecting inflammation in exposed dental pulp: a pilot exploratory study.
Article in BDJ open, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Inflammatory Biomarkers in Irreversible Pulpitis and Pulp Necrosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.International dental journal · 2026Pooled it
- Clinical Challenges and Therapeutic Approaches in Managing Deep Carious Lesions Close to the Pulp in Permanent Teeth: A Narrative Review.International journal of dentistry · 2026Review
- Rapid point-of-care quantification of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in pulpal blood as an objective biomarker for irreversible pulpitis: a pilot diagnostic accuracy study.Frontiers in dental medicine · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE/
aimDental pulp inflammation is a critical condition in endodontics. Traditional diagnostic methods, such as patient pain history and percussion tests, often lack accuracy in reflecting the true status of pulp inflammation. This study explores the feasibility of using a rapid C-reactive protein (CRP) chairside point-of-care (POC) test as a potential adjunctive tool for detecting dental pulp inflammation. The findings provide preliminary insights to inform future larger-scale validation studies. MATERIALS AND
methodsThis pilot cross-sectional observational study included 20 patients with deep carious lesions. Blood samples were collected from exposed pulp tissue under sterile conditions and analyzed using the CRP rapid POC test (index test). Patient pain history (clinical reference test) and percussion test outcomes were documented. The study assessed feasibility and preliminary diagnostic trends based on test performance and associations with clinical indicators.
resultsThe CRP rapid POC test yielded positive results in 55% of cases. Preliminary findings suggest a potential association between CRP levels and percussion test results (p < 0.001), while no significant correlation was observed between CRP levels and patient pain history. The test demonstrated an observed sensitivity of 94.3%, specificity of 87.1%, positive predictive value (PPV) of 90.7%, and negative predictive value (NPV) of 91.9%. However, given the small sample size, these estimates should be interpreted with caution, and further research with larger cohorts is necessary for validation.
conclusionThis pilot study suggests that the CRP rapid POC test may have potential as a diagnostic aid for detecting dental pulp inflammation. However, these findings are preliminary, and further validation through larger studies and gold-standard comparisons is necessary before clinical implementation can be considered.
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Registered trials
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